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Thursday, 1 October 2015

Landlords - are you compliant with the smoke detector law that came into force today?

Changes in legislation for Landlords
Today new legislation will comes into force that concerns Landlords of residential premises.

Landlords are required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties in England.

Who does the legislation cover?
This new legislation will cover private landlords. Communities Minister Stephen Williams said yesterday: "We're determined to create a bigger, better and safer private rented sector – a key part of that is to ensure the safety of tenants with fire prevention and carbon monoxide warning."
Even so, Aico would recommend that any type of landlord (private or social) should recognise the duty of care they have for their tenants to install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms.
This new legislation is for England only.

Landlords in Scotland are already required by law to install smoke and carbon monoxide under existing legislation.

On the Government's website it reads as:

"The proposed changes to the law would require landlords to install smoke alarms on every floor of their property, and test them at the start of every tenancy.

Landlords would also need to install carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms – such as those where a solid fuel heating system is installed.

This would bring private rented properties into line with existing building regulations that already require newly-built homes to have hard-wired smoke alarms installed."

Section 150 of the Energy Act states: "the appropriate standard", in relation to a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide alarm, means the standard (if any) that is specified in, or determined under, regulations;"

What we know:

•Private landlords will be required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties in England.
•These alarms should meet the relevant European and British Standards.
•This new legislation will come into force on the 1st October 2015 (subject to Parliamentary approval).
•Local Authorities will enforce this legislation.
•Landlords could receive a penalty charge of up to £5000.